Gov. Chris Christie Signs Road Rage Bill Into Law

Governor Chris Christie, along with Jessica Rogers, signs into law S-1468, also known as Jessica Rogers' Law during a press conference at the Statehouse in Trenton, N.J. on Friday, April 20, 2012. (credit: Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

Rogers was among a group of teens riding in a friend’s car. Another vehicle cut them off and the driver she was with became angry and gave chase. The rage ended when the vehicle crashed into a telephone pole.

Over the past seven years, she’s been through two dozen surgeries.

The driver spent four months in jail.

“As a parent, Jessica Rogers’ story hits close to home,” Christie said. “Through the actions of an enraged driver, tragedy was levied on the Rogers family and justice was left out of reach because the laws of our state were not adequate to appropriately prosecute the crime.”

Under the revised statute, aggressive drivers who cause injuries could be sentenced to as much as five years in jail and fined $15,000 — the same penalties as those who cause injuries while driving drunk.

“I hope it will make people think before they act,” said Rogers, who lives in Hamilton and aspires to become a psychologist, “whether they’re flipping people off, yelling at people, cutting people off.”

Though it is difficult to track the number of road rage incidents, State Highway Traffic Safety Director Gary Poedubicky estimates that the accidents account for about one-third of all crashes and about two-thirds result in fatalities.

The bill was unanimously passed by both chambers of New Jersey’s Legislature in March.

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